TSA reviewing New Orleans Hornets' exec traveling with firearm

Story highlights

The New York Post publishes a story about New Orleans Hornets exec Josh Richardson with a firearm

The TSA is now reviewing how Richardson traveled with the firearm

Apparently, Richardson had the firearm packed in checked baggage, a TSA spokesman said

Richardson couldn't be immediately reached for comment

The Transportation Security Administration is reviewing how an executive with the NBA's New Orleans Hornets was transporting a firearm on a flight, a TSA spokesman said Saturday.

The subject of the federal agency's inquiry is Joshua Richardson, vice president of event presentation and broadcasting for the Hornets, TSA spokesman Sterling Payne told CNN.

Payne confirmed the review after the New York Post published a story Saturday about Richardson purportedly being in possession of a firearm packed in luggage while flying between New Orleans and Newark, New Jersey.

The firearm apparently was transported in checked baggage, which isn't prohibited, but a declaration is required, Payne said.

"Firearms and firearm components are not prohibited in checked baggage but do need to be properly declared and packed," the TSA said in a statement. "Firearms transported in checked baggage must be unloaded, locked in a hard-sided container and declared by the passenger to the airline during the ticket counter check-in process."